In the Japanese exclusive Transformers: The Headmasters storyline (which replaced the "Rebirth" finale in Japanese continuity), Hot Rod appeared as part of Optimus Prime's inner circle. When Galvatron and his Headmaster warriors launched a devastating attack on Cybertron, Vector Sigma was damaged, and Hot Rod was sent to Earth to retrieve the Matrix. Recovering it, he returned it to Prime, only to be surprised when the ghost of Alpha Trion once again reformatted him into Rodimus Prime to help Optimus. After Prime's second death, Rodimus once again took command of the Autobots. However, when Scorponok destroyed Vector Sigma, Rodimus decided to leave the war, and left Fortress Maximus in command of the Autobots.

This redeco of Leader-class Optimus Prime replaced most of the plastics in the cab robot with colored translucent equivalents, with chromed silver wrist-pipes, a golden chrome Matrix, and red chrome window frames. His trailer remained opaque, but was cast in much deeper red plastic, with a more metallic silver used for his cannons. He was available only in a Toys"R"Us Japanese exclusive giftset released in October 2005, with a redeco of Wing Saber, and the Coby Sen'yō Rumble.

Following the battle, Prime began to experience subconscious urgings, leading both the Autobots and the Decepticons to the Arctic Circle. When they arrived, Shockwave was there to arrest them as war criminals. Shockwave had succeeded in ending the war on Cybertron, but Prime soon fell in with a rebel Autobot group that had discovered Shockwave had greater agenda. Rallying transformers across Cybertron to the cause, Prime faced Shockwave, but was defeated and had the Matrix ripped from him and used to activate Vector Sigma. Before Shockwave could make full use of the mega-computer's data, however, Ultra Magnus, Prime's brother, arrived and bested him. The injuries Prime took during this conflict necessitated a prolonged restoration period in stasis, but Dreamwave's closure meant that Prime never appeared in their pages again.
The main difference is an extensive redeco, rendering Prime in his traditional colours instead of the iPod-inspired white. (Yes, it actually had more to do with iPods than Magnus, believe it or not.) Reminiscent of the Kiss Players, iPod Optimus Prime's entire ABS/PVC structure is painted over, including his fists and the silver stripe that runs along his chest. His wind shield is colored blue like the one in the 2002 New Years Convoy reissue. The silver-grey trailer has a fairly elaborate deco, featuring detailing that resembles the outward appearance of the traditional Prime trailer, including the doglegging blue stripe and Autobot symbol, an effect somewhat marred by the large, visible gap on one side. When reconfigured into dock mode, the interior surfaces surrounding the speakers are decorated with black-on-silver techno-patterns as well as three, count 'em, three logos proclaiming the name "Optimus Prime". The recessed space also features a stylised, almost Frank Milleresque, high-contrast portrait of Prime's face, although this would be largely covered by the intended insertion of an iPod.
An undocumented transformation step includes flipping Optimus Prime's knees out in vehicle mode to form a back bumper with tail lights. Oddly, the toy itself and the package art show Optimus Prime with four fingers on each hand, while he has 5 fingers in the video game. The vehicle mode pictured here is minimally mis-transformed: The exhaust pipes have not been rotated to hide the indentations against the vehicle body. The instructions show the rifle being plugged in by its shorter peg, but the packaging depicts the rifle stored by its grip, which keeps the weapon higher off Prime's body, but is also more secure.
In one Universe, Optimus led his Autobots against Megatron's Decepticons until the Cybertronian civil war led to the creation of the monstrous combiner Thunder Mayhem. Thunder Mayhem turned on his masters, ultimately leading to him rampaging across Cybertron. History The Decepticon Toxitron was made to resemble Optimus Prime as a blow to Autobot morale and also sported a cybermetric signature that matched Prime's. The Toxic Transformer

Part of the first wave of Prime: First Edition Voyager-Class toys, Optimus Prime transforms into a truck, with a similar (but more complex) transformation to his previous Deluxe-Class toy, and features a faux-kibble window-chest panel as well as a detailed truck cab interior. He comes with a "Cybertronian battle sword" and a "plasma cannon", either of which can peg into his hands. The cannon also features a 5mm peg-hole on the underside of its barrel, allowing the sword (or any other compatible accessory) to mount there as a bayonet. They are stored in vehicle mode by pegging them onto either the 5mm-compatible trailer hitch, or onto each peg-hole beside it, although the instructions tell you to peg the sword facing forwards onto the hitch, with the cannon mounting backwards onto one of the side pegs. His trailer hitch ends up on his right robot leg, and he has a fake, sculpted, equally-usable trailer hitch on his left leg. He features a cardboard stand as with all "First Edition" toys, but the weak adhesive used for its flaps mean it often has trouble supporting the weight of a Voyager class figure for an extended amount of time, the top caving in as the glue gives way.

Voyager figures all feature a spring-loaded MechTech-style transforming weapon, partially constructed from translucent plastic, which lights up via LED when the weapon is deployed. The figures themselves also feature translucent plastic, so the moving LED creates the image of energon power "flowing" from the character's bodies into their weapons. This worked better in theory than in practice. Internally, these figures were referred to by Hasbro as "Powerizers".

Based on the Classics toy line, the Timelines 2007 story is set 15 years after the end of the Marvel Comics story (ignoring all events of the Marvel UK and Generation 2 comics). According to exclusive bio information in the Transformers Collectors' Club magazine #15, Hot Rod followed Optimus Prime back to Cybertron from the Planet Klo. Once back, Hot Rod took up racing, but after a while found it pointless. Optimus Prime assigned to help organize the millions of Cybertronian refugees who returned to their home world. Hot Rod chaired the Cybertron Grand Challenge race, a race which featyred combined Autobot/Decepticon teams. With his maturing Hot Rod changed his name to Rodimus and was chosen to return with Optimus Prime to Earth to stop Megatron. Optimus Prime returned to Earth commanding Bumblebee, Cliffjumper, Grimlock, Jetfire, Mirage and Rodimus. When the Cybertronians Skyfall and Landquake arrive on Earth unexpectedly, Megatron attempts to destroy them, but Optimus Prime and his Autobots are able to drive Megatron away. Rodimus is wounded on a mission with Optimus Prime, before being brought back to the Autobot base.
Part of the first wave of Prime Series 2 Cyberverse Commander Class toys, Optimus Prime is a smaller-scale toy, and features translucent plastic for his torso so that the toy can be illuminated using the electronic lights featured in the larger playsets. He comes with two translucent "battle cannon" weapons which feature multiple 3mm posts and ports, allowing them to be held by his hands, or store/mount onto numerous ports on his person. Additionally, he features a 5mm port for a trailer hitch.
The second War Within Optimus Prime toy in the Titanium series, but also the first official transforming toy from the War Within series. Personally designed by comic artist Don Figueroa (who created much of the War Within comic designs), Optimus Prime transforms into a Cybertronic truck. He is armed with a silver painted Ion blaster, on which the word "DON" can be clearly seen sculpted into the body.
This TakaraTomy Asian market-exclusive Leader Class two-pack consists of a redecoed Jetfire and a slightly altered Buster Optimus Prime. Buster Optimus Prime is almost identical to the single-pack Japanese release of the toy, but unlike the standalone Buster Prime, has a head with a faceplate, itself containing more paint details than the first release of Revenge of the Fallen Leader-class Optimus Prime. The flames are outlined with light blue instead of white for accuracy to the physical truck prop (though it ends up being inaccurate in robot mode). Jetfire has a subtle, more movie-accurate colour scheme.

For the 1987 and 1988 lines, Hasbro introduced even more radical ideas through new sub-groups. The Headmasters and Targetmasters came with partners who transformed into the figure's head or weapon, respectively. Powermasters, including the new version of fan favorite Optimus Prime, came with partners that transformed into engines. Each line would see various permutations over the two-year span, including smaller Headmasters, Double Targetmasters, and a Powermaster with two engines.

If Perceptor gave out the right amount of an antidote, the poisoned Autobots were cured. Optimus ordered his troops to ready themselves for the incoming squadron of Decepticons. Perceptor’s antidote did have a side-effect on the Autobots, however; it gave them a fierce battle-fever, making them eager to take on the Decepticons head-on. Prowl suggested to Optimus that they instead opt for a more conniving counterstrike against the Decepticons, and ambush them instead.

While they wandered through the tunnels, the Joes and Prime found cave paintings that described the last visit to Earth by the planet-eating god Unicron. They were attacked again by Bludgeon and Cobra-La minions, but were led away by a ragged Joe Colton, prisoner of Cobra-La for the last 25 years. Black Horizon, Part 1 of 2 Bludgeon managed to find them again and during a second battle Prime tore open the Pretender's shell, revealing Bludgeon's robot form inside. Bludgeon tripped and dangled dangerously over a chasm, but rather than let Optimus Prime save him, Bludgeon forced Prime to drop him to his death laughing all the way down.
"Hero Mashers" Optimus Prime, Bumblebee and Grimlock took on Megatron in the middle of a busy city. Optimus came to Bumblebee's help while riding atop of Grimlock, swapping heads with his mount to bite Megatron's arm off, getting a hold of the Decepticon's jetpack at the same time. He attached both pieces to himself, and flew around for a bit before returning to the battle. He thoroughly scrambled his pieces with those of his teammates, then took down Megatron with his "dino-fist." Afterwards, the Autobots returned to their normal configurations (though it took them more than one try to do so!) Hero Mashers commercial
Early in this new series of encounters with Megatron, Red Alert contacted the Autobots on Earth and asked for Optimus Prime to join then on Velocitron. Ransack and Crumplezone tricked Hot Shot and Dirt Boss into believing that a race between them would determine which of them would be allowed to race Override for the Planet Cup. During the race, Ransack and Crumplezone caused a rockslide that buried Hot Shot. Hot Shot was saved when Optimus Prime, Vector Prime, and Landmine arrived, but Optimus was upset that Hot Shot had become involved with the locals. Clocker and Brakedown were eager to help the Autobots. After being unable to obtain the Planet Cup from Override herself, Optimus Prime endorsed Hot Shot's plan to win the cup in a race with the aide of the other Autobots. Ransack and Crumplezone were contacted by Megatron and were told to keep on eye on things. They also decided to enter the race, either to win the cup and cause as much damage as they could to the other racers. Override, Dirt Boss, Ransack, Crumplezone, Optimus Prime, Hot Shot, Red Alert, Landmine, Clocker and Brakedown participated in the qualification round. In the final episode of Transformers: Cybertron, Optimus Prime proposed a new Space Bridge project using the power of the four Cyber Planet Keys and the four great Cybertronian ships. Many Autobots and former Decepticons joined in the project. Jetfire was left in charge of Cybertron as Optimus Prime led the Atlantis with the Earth Cyber Planet Key, joined by Red Alert, Safeguard, Scattorshot, Leobreaker, Menasor, and Heavy Load.
In Transformers: Armada and Transformers: Energon, Optimus Prime shares the role of main protagonist with Rad, Alexis, Carlos, Starscream and Hot Shot. The Optimus of this universe shares many similarities with his parallel universe versions, including nobility of spirit and a strong desire to protect all humans on Earth. In this continuity, the two sides are not looking for energon, but a small race of power-enhancing Transformers known as Mini-Cons. Optimus led his small band of Autobots to stop Megatron from acquiring their power for himself.
The TakaraTomy version, part of the seventh wave of Japanese Prime toys, is dubbed Arms Master Optimus, uses darker, metallic plastics, casts the backs of his thighs in metallic red, replaces his metallic silver paint with glossy gray, and replaces a few of his paint operations with customer-applied foil stickers, such as his insignias, shins, headlamps, the tiny yellow lights on his torso, and the blue deco on his truck panel sides. He has also been retooled with additional 5mm pegs for his thighs, roof, and lower backpack, as well as ports for his forearms, shoulders, smokestacks, fuel tanks, and roof. Instead of the rifle, he comes with a very large Matrix which can tab onto his chest as armor or mount onto the back of the truck cab, with the Matrix also being covered in 5mm posts and holes so that Arms Microns can be attached to it. He additionally comes with a clear-blue "Shining" version of the Arms Micron, R.A., who can combine with the Matrix to form the colossal Matrix Saber.
Through the years, there have been many action figures made in the likeness of the original incarnation of Optimus Prime, some of which have been featured in fiction, others of which have not. Additionally, some toy makers have made unlicensed toys in his image or accessories for the existing toys. The original 1984 Optimus Prime toy was part of Takara's 1983 Diaclone toy line named "Battle Convoy". It was designed by the creative design team of Hiroyuki Obara, Shoji Kawamori, famous for his work in Macross, and Kohjin Ohno.[23] The toy's characteristics, such as the head design and the use of the cab front as the upper torso, have become design elements in nearly every incarnation and variant of Optimus Prime. This particular toy has been reissued multiple times, mostly to commemorate the anniversary of the Transformers franchise. Optimus Prime was also released as an Action Master and Powermaster toy in the original Transformers toy line.
Featuring a complex transformation, essentially the front and back ends of the truck fold and converge to become Optimus Prime's legs, as much of the truck rear is connected to the robot thighs via a series of folding panels. The rear wheel cowlings feature a hinge joint in the middle of them so they do not impede his knee articulation. The rear cabin of the cab, directly connected to the smokestacks, rotate and connect to his torso and unfold into his arms. As with most mainline Movie toys, Optimus Prime features Automorph gimmicks, and due to his pricepoint has three of them. Firstly, during initial transformation, rotating his front fenders to become his heels flips the top parts of the grill to become his toes. Secondly, sliding out the double-barrel cannon in his right forearm flips out his spring-loaded Ion Blaster, which lands into place for his right hand. (The Ion Blaster can actually be popped off his forearm fairly easily, held in place by a simple clip.) Optimus' final Automorph, located in his torso, is activated by flipping the silver lever on his stomach activating a series of spring-loaded actions where the truck windows are pushed apart, and the lever between them is raised, enabling the head to spring up from the chest cavity. At this point yellow LEDs light up the chest windows and Optimus Prime's eyes, accompanied by a "powering up" sound effect.
The set also includes a redeco of Generations War for Cybertron Optimus Prime figure, which changes the original figure's dark red plastic to a brighter, more vibrant red, changes the gray plastic to a darker charcoal tone, changes the "windows" from gray to nearly black, and replaces most of the original figure's pink-ish red paint details (which were yellow on the redeco from the "Rage over Cybertron" three-pack) to teal.
This toy's design has directly and indirectly influenced numerous others over the years, including many future versions of Generation One Optimus Prime himself as well as new interpretations of the character for Armada, the live-action movie, and Transformers Animated. Redecos of those toys have in turn spread the toy's iconic look to several other characters and many of their subsequent toys: Ultra Magnus, Scourge, and the various Nemesis Primes. Additionally, a toy that was originally intended to be the original Optimus Prime was eventually retconned to be the new character Optimus Primal, bringing Prime's appearance over to that character (and eventually Primal Prime as well.) In Japan, this began a tradition of Beast Era Convoys emulating Prime's look, spawning still more toys that trace part of their lineage back to this one.

The first Nightwatch Optimus Prime is an extensive redeco of the previously released Leader-class Optimus Prime, replacing most of his red and blue with different shades of blue and black. In fact, he resembles the original Diaclone Powered Convoy color scheme of Generation One Ultra Magnus's truck cab. The previously blue and red flames have been replaced with silver flames, as has various other decos, replaced by copper.
Sometime after the Autobots and Decepticons awoke in the 1980s, the original Megatron gained access to one of Earth's Voyager spacecraft and inscribed a message on the disk on board. In the event that he lost the War, Megatron left instructions for the descendants of the Decepticons to use transwarp technology to travel to Prehistoric Earth, locate the Ark, and change history by killing Optimus Prime. The Agenda (Part 2)
The cab transforms into the robot mode of Optimus Prime himself, with the addition of a pair of removable blue fists that plug into his headlights. The fists themselves do not store anywhere in vehicle mode, but can fit easily in Prime's opening chest compartment (originally designed to accommodate two Diaclone driver figures). Prime is armed with a black laser rifle that, due to design, he cannot hold straight.